Gods Sabbath

J OHN THE B APTIST

305

stroyer could not reach. Col. 3:3. He exulted that he had brought sorrow upon Christ, but he had failed of conquering John. Death itself only placed him forever beyond the power of temptation. In this warfare, Satan was revealing his own character. Before the witnessing universe he made manifest his enmity toward God and man. “Though no miraculous deliverance was granted John, he was not forsaken. He had always the companionship of heavenly an gels, who opened to him the prophecies concerning Christ, and the precious promises of Scripture. These were his stay, as they were to be the stay of God’s people through the coming ages. To John the Baptist, as to those that came after him, was given the assurance, ‘Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end.’ Matt. 28:20, R. V., margin. “God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. Not Enoch, who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dun geon. ‘Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to be lieve on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.’ Phil. 1:29. And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the hi ghest honor.” The Desire of Ages , 223.4, 224.2–224.5. The testimony of John’s faithfulness to the end, served God’s cause far better than if he had been delivered from his dark dungeon. The time was to come when thousands of believers would die for the truth during the Dark Ages. As they endured torture and faced execution, they were buoyed by the remem brance that John had died under similar circumstances, merit ing and receiving Christ’s personal testimony to his dedicated and unblemished service (see Luke 7:24–30). Knowing this, those who perished under papal domination were able to meet Satan’s lying accusations aware that they died, not because they were transgressors of God’s law, but because they were faithful to it. Such an understanding will provide us too with the Sabbath rest we need when faced with persecution in the future.